Trying to bring in an outdoor cat

[catwoman707]

Key with anything you do that changes his familiar surroundings as Ondine says is to take it slow, one change at a time. You've got plenty of time before things get out of sorts and it's a good thing to start now.

Slow but steady progress, you've done so well understanding the gentleness he needs to adjust. Great job!

 

[pi-pi]

 
Key with anything you do that changes his familiar surroundings as Ondine says is to take it slow, one change at a time. You've got plenty of time before things get out of sorts and it's a good thing to start now.

Slow but steady progress, you've done so well understanding the gentleness he needs to adjust. Great job!

Thank you! I agree 100% with both of you and feel MUCH better with this new plan. I guess I was just too overwhelmed to think of it myself. LOL!

 

[linda carella]

Oh I know exactly how you are feeling. My cat runs from every little noise and runs into the woods. Always worrying if he will come back. But he comes back. Having a stray or feral is very emotional. After 7 years I still pray that he will be there when I open the door in the . morning. I would try and make little changes now. Cats do not like change.so do it a little at a time. I sure hope we don't get a lot of snow. My Bella freaks out when my husband goes out to shovel snow. I am also trying so hard to bring my Bella in at least just for the snow storm. I got a heated out door pad from Amazon. That I plug in. He loves it. Oh and yes Bella is a boy even though he has a girls name. Haha we could not get never him for 2 years. I thought he was a she. We first called him freeloader and after two years we realized he was a forever friend. If you make changes now everything will be fine. You should also raise the wonderful cat house you have so when it snows the opening will be clear. I just raised mind just a little and it worked out.

 

[pi-pi]

Well, I've been cleaning out the garage slowly and moving his things into better positions in there also slowly. I am almost finished with the way it will be when my friend comes to visit in late January. Pi has done very well with the changes. It's been so cold and I still have to keep the pet door propped open because he can get out through it but not always back in. I've ordered a new door that should fit in the same opening and SHOULD be easier for him to open. It's just a simple plastic flap with a magnet on the bottom not the fancy ultrafex kind that came with my storm door. While waiting for it to arrive I've made him a sleep box out of a Rubbermaid bin and insulated it with builders grade foam insulation covered with Mylar film to reflect back his body heat. Inside that he has a SnuggleSafe warming disk with a soft mat over it and his favorite donut bed on top of that. All rest on a black area rug which covers 3 additional warming disks. I pray he goes inside of it tonight as it is freezing but I'm not sure he will. He's been sitting on the rug just ourside the box. All this is in the vestibule between my back door and attached garage. Here's a photo.

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• pi-pi
• Dec 31, 2014

 

[catwoman707]

Nice little set up

You might try putting a bit of food/treats in there so he will get the idea that it is warmer.

As I mentioned a while back, cats are smart enough to know when it's just too darn cold they have to figure out where is best for them to sleep.

 

[pi-pi]

Nice little set up
You might try putting a bit of food/treats in there so he will get the idea that it is warmer.

As I mentioned a while back, cats are smart enough to know when it's just too darn cold they have to figure out where is best for them to sleep.

Thanks again! I did put some Greenies in it. He got them out but ended up sleeping on the rug just outside the box. As I mention the warming disks are under the rug as well. He was also cuddled in the chenille throw I left there for him.

 

[pi-pi]

Pi hesitates to go completely into enclosed "boxy" spaces like igloo beds and the sleep box I made him. He will lean far in to get any treats I leave inside but that seems to be his limit. I have a hunch he carries the memory of when he was trapped by the Pet Rescue woman and taken there for TNR. He was 8 to 10 months at the time (September) and had become so trusting of me that he followed me around the yard when I watered my garden, etc. So, when she set the trap for him he innocently walked right into it immediately and with no hesitation. I know TNR was the right thing to do for him but he must have been so traumatized. After release it took about 4 days before he started coming for food and he hasn't stayed in my yard all day ever again. Now (as I've said before) he's here in the vestibule, garage and kitchen at night then off to the woods after a bite to eat at 6:30 AM and returns between 4 and 5 PM for dinner. Funny thing is he doesn't hesitate at all to enter his feeding station outside the garage. It too is made from a Rubbermaid bin and insulated. Hopefully as you said Catwoman 707, when he gets cold enough he'll use his sleep box!

This morning after a very cold night I opened the door to find him comfortably cuddled between the sleep box and chenille throw with a still slightly warm SnuggleSafe disk under him. He came into the kitchen where I fed him a bit of salmon (wet) and some kibbles. He ate some but not all of each then asked for treats. I have to be careful with the amount of treats I give him (Temptations and Greenies) because he clearly favors them over his regular food--and he gets the best food--grain free Wellness and Blue Wilderness. This morning he asked for and received a head and neck rub. He's been asking for this a lot of late. He liked it so much he closed his eyes, purred, and rolled over on his back with paws in the air. So cute!

 

[linda carella]

He sounds like he is just happy . As long as he is out of the nasty weather I don't think you should worry to much about him not going in an included house. Does he go in the heated house under the tree. Cats are so on unpredictable. My cat sleeps out all night on his heated bench all night than around 4:00 am he will spend the restof the time in his heated house. But I noticed the last three nights I fed him at 6:00pm after that went right in to the house. I don't get . Lol I have another problem my cat wants to come in from the cold but he has fleas. Maybe I will start a post about what I should do.

 

[pi-pi]

He sounds like he is just happy . As long as he is out of the nasty weather I don't think you should worry to much about him not going in an included house. Does he go in the heated house under the tree. Cats are so on unpredictable. My cat sleeps out all night on his heated bench all night than around 4:00 am he will spend the restof the time in his heated house. But I noticed the last three nights I fed him at 6:00pm after that went right in to the house. I don't get . Lol I have another problem my cat wants to come in from the cold but he has fleas. Maybe I will start a post about what I should do.

 

[linda carella]

Thank pi pi I M going now to buy frontline. My little dog Nemo is allergic to frontline. So I was going to get advantage

 

[sugarsandz]

I'd keep an eye out for other cats entering your little one's territory to eat his food. When my cat Ghost was still living in our backyard some neighborhood cats started coming around because of his food. Even after I stopped leaving the food out some cats would still bother him and he couldn't defend himself properly and just cowered in his house. I finally just brought him in and stuck him in my bedroom and he's never attempted to leave since. 

I hope your little one adapts eventually, some cats just like it outside more. Keep up the good work!

 

[catwoman707]

Advantage 11 does a great job with ticks too!

Fleas, ticks, flea eggs and larvae, which no other med does, and even lice.

Advantage 11 is by far my method of choice and what I use for my entire cat rescue as well as my own personal herd

Frontline just doesn't have the oomph that advantage 11 does.

 

[linda carella]

Thanks cat woman. I just bought front line yesterday. But if it does not work I will by advantage. Now I just have toget my outdoor cat to sit so I can put it one him. I would do flea Med on him in summer but thought the cold weather would just kill the fleas.

 

[pi-pi]

 
Advantage 11 does a great job with ticks too!

Fleas, ticks, flea eggs and larvae, which no other med does, and even lice.

Advantage 11 is by far my method of choice and what I use for my entire cat rescue as well as my own personal herd

Frontline just doesn't have the oomph that advantage 11 does.

Thank you Catwoman! I will get some today now that you tell me your results! Linda, I'm so sorry you bought Frontline before we were told this but it should do the job for a first attempt. Better than nothing. It works very well for my dog I can tell you that.

More than likely what Catwoman just told us about Advantage II is the reason the Vet at PetRescue NY used it on Pi when she did TNR last September.

 

[pi-pi]

I just double checked on the Advantage II versus Frontline Plus and found that the manufacturer of Advantage II (which is Bayer) does not advertise it for killing ticks. They state that it is only for killing all stages of fleas. Whereas the manufacturer of Frontline Plus (which is Merial) advertises it for all stages of fleas plus ticks and lice. The only thing Frontline Plus does not do is defend against mosquitoes and flies but neither does Advantage II. Bayer also makes Advantix II for dogs only that does kill ticks.

So Linda if you got Frontline Plus for your little guy he should be fine. Catwoman if you find Advantage II is doing a good job killing ticks and lice as well as all stages of fleas for your cats by all means stick with it but for some reason the manufacturer doesn't claim that it does.

Here is a link to a page that compares all flea and tick prevention meds: http://www.valleyvet.com/library/cat_flea_tick_control_comparison.html

BTW my little Pi invited me to rub his tummy last night. I was so honored as I know cats are very protective of their tummies. I was rubbing him behind his ears and on his neck and head when he brushed across my leg, rolled over and (believe it or not) took a paw and pushed my hand toward his tummy. I rubbed and he purred and purred. I am so glad he is letting me pat and rub him all over (back and sides too) because it should make it easier to apply the flea and tick meds!

 

[linda carella]

Thanks for the information. I just put front line on both my cats. So glad he is getting to trust you more and more. My friend just told me she bought a heated blanket for her cat that stays in her I closed sun room and he loves it. Maybe you can do that between the garage and in side your house when he comes in. Every little bit helps with the New York winters.

 

[pi-pi]

Thanks for the information. I just put front line on both my cats. So glad he is getting to trust you more and more. My friend just told me she bought a heated blanket for her cat that stays in her I closed sun room and he loves it. Maybe you can do that between the garage and in side your house when he comes in. Every little bit helps with the New York winters.

Good for you for getting the Frontline applied. Did you have much trouble? I just ordered some today. Its so expensive!

 

[linda carella]

Very expensive. Dr. Foster and smith has the cheapest prices. But I could not wait. Bell is coming in a lot. He is roaming all around the house. I can't believe it after 7 years. Did not have trouble putting it on him. I just was petting him in one hand and separating the fur and with the other hand put it on. I did not let him see the stuff I put on him. My indoor cat gave me a hard time. We had to hold her down.

 

[linda carella]

When will your friend be coming. We have been so lucky with the weather. Yahoo no snow yet. Did you get snow were you live.

 

[pi-pi]

When will your friend be coming. We have been so lucky with the weather. Yahoo no snow yet. Did you get snow were you live.

My friend will get here on the 20th of this month. I have the garage all cleaned out now except for the garbage cans which can be moved to the back stoop when she comes. I keep them in the garage so as not to invite raccoons. We had some very light snow a little before Thanksgiving--about an inch which was gone the next day. They say it's going to be near 60 degrees here tomorrow! Can't believe it. That worries me because it usually means a storm is coming when we get high temperatures this time of year. But it surely would be nice if we didn't have any major snow when my friend is here.

I did order from Foster and Smith. I got the 3 pack and it was $43.98 including shipping. Was at the local PetSmart yesterday and they were asking $57.98 for the same thing! Disgusting! I have been petting Pi all over every night when he comes home. I concentrate a lot on the area where I will apply the Frontline, even separating the fur so he gets used to it. If my plan works I'll be able to apply it the same way you did. Good job! Funny that it was your indoor kitty who gave you the trouble.

BTW I found an old comforter in my attic which hasn't been used in years. Gave it a good wash and dry then folded it so it covers the floor of my back vestibule (wall to wall). I set the bed box on top of it with 1 SnuggleSafe warming disk inside under his donut bed. I then put the other 3 warming disks in between the folds of the comforter just in front of the bed box and an old chenille throw along the side where the pet door is to help keep out the cold. HE LOVES THIS SETUP! Sometimes he is in the bed box, and sometimes he lounges on the warmed up comforter. So glad he uses it and that it can give him some warmth.